Welsh Government Launches £5m Innovation Fund

Welsh Government Launches £5m Innovation Fund

The Welsh government has joined forces with Cardiff University to launch a £5m innovation fund for public sector organisations.

The Innovate to Save fund was launched by Welsh finance secretary, Mark Drakeford, and will allow eligible organisations to apply for both loans and non-repayable funding from the government.

The non-repayable funding will be used to help organisations develop and test ways of changing service delivery, with successful applicants also gaining access to support and resources from Cardiff University and Nesta.

Drakeford said: “More scarce resources and growing demand means all public services must think and work differently, if we are to continue to provide the level of services people need.“The savings generated will not only be re-invested in services but will improve outcomes for people and will be able to be rolled out more widely.”

Executive director of Innovation Lab, Helen Goulden, said the motivation to “think and reshape” the way the government engages with citizens and deliver services to the public is riding high.

She added: “Our partnership with the Welsh government is ambitious, seeking to tackle some of the most complex issues currently facing our public services – and generate cashable savings.”